Folio 52

St. Zephyrinus, 198 (?)–217

printed p. 20 · pdf p. 52

Concerning the Hierarchy and the Status of the Laity1

[From the same epistle to the Corinthians]

42. (40) (For) they do not go astray who follow the commands of the Lord. Inasmuch as peculiar gifts have been bestowed upon the chief priest, a special place has been assigned to the priests, and particular duties are incumbent upon the Levites. The layman is bound by the precepts pertaining to the laity.

(41) Let each of us, brethren, "in his own order" [I Cor. 15:23] with a good conscience not transgressing the prescribed rule of his own office give thanks to God honorably.

(42) The Apostles were made preachers of the Gospel to us by the Lord Jesus Christ; Jesus Christ was sent by God. . . . Accordingly, when they had proclaimed the word through country districts and cities and had tested the first converts of these by the spirit, they appointed bishops and deacons of those who were to believe.

St. Evaristus (99) (?)–107 (?) St. Pius I 140 (?)–154 (?)

St. Alexander I 107 (?)–116 (?) St. Anicetus 154 (?)–165 (?)

St. Sixtus I 116 (?)–125 (?) St. Soter 165 (?)–174 (?)

St. Telesphorus 125 (?)–136 (?) St. Eleutherius 174 (?)–189 (?)

St. Hyginus 136 (?)–140 (?) St. Victor 189 (?)–198 (?)2

ST. ZEPHYRINUS 198 (?)–217

resp. ST. CALLISTUS I 217–222

The Incarnate Word3

[From St. Hippolytus's Philosophy IX 11, about the year 230]

42a. "[Callistus], however, influenced ZEPHYRINUS himself to speak to the people openly: I know one God Christ Jesus, and besides him no other begotten and passible; then indeed [CALLISTUS] said: The Fa-

  1. Funk, op. cit., 110 f.; ed. Bihlmeyer 47 f.; Cet 28 E. ↩

  2. At the time of VICTOR the primacy of the Roman Pontiff was acknowledged by all. For, when in the controversy concerning the celebration of Easter, Victor wished to excommunicate the churches of Asia, they indeed accused him of too great severity (as Irenaeus), but no bishop called into question either his right or his authority. Cf. Eusebius, Historia eccl. 5, 24 [MG 20, 439 ff.; Schwartz-Mommsen, Euseb. II 1, 491 ff.]. ↩

  3. Refutatio omnium haeresium, ed. P. Wendland 1916, 246; MG 16 c, 3380. Concerning this matter see Zeitschr. f. kath. Theol. 41 (1917) 595 ff.; 52 (1928) 225 ff. (Konr. Preysing); 48 (1924) 314 ff. (H. Dieckmann). ↩